


polaroid camera

by liionne



Series: academy domesticity [3]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Academy Era, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-11
Updated: 2014-06-11
Packaged: 2018-02-04 06:38:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1769323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liionne/pseuds/liionne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim likes collecting old trinkets — including a polaroid cmaera.</p>
            </blockquote>





	polaroid camera

Whilst Leonard enjoys collecting old medical knickknacks, stethoscopes, nurses watches and scalpels, things like that, Jim's collecting has no real genre or type. He just likes things. He likes old thing, vintage things— if it's about to be discarded, or it's five credits in a secondhand store, he wants it. He's come home with shitty jewelry that brings him out in rashes, old ipods, and just plain trash. But Leonard lets him keep it, as long as it stays on his side of the room, because everyone's got to have a hobby and he's a good boy friend, at the end of the day.

Leonard lies in Jim's arms, head pressed to his chest. He can hear Jim's heart beating, can feel his chin pressed to the top of Leonard's head, and is surrounded by his scent. It's a good way to spend a late morning. No classes until the afternoon, and he's on the graveyard shift at Starfleet Medical. He has time to lie with Jim, just enjoying his company.

"Wait here." Jim murmurs, and immediately Leonard frowns. He watches as Jim gets up out of bed, although not before pressing a kiss to Leonard's forehead, and crosses the room to his side— they got into the habit of having Leonard's Side and Jim's Side when they were still in dorms at the academy, but now that Leonard's working for them and needs more sleep than other students, he gets his own private accommodation. On campus, still, but it's a lot quieter and a lot _nicer_ than their shitty old dorm used to be, with the peeling paint and the fraying carpets. Starfleet Academy may be the very best college in the entire country, arguably the world, but the dorms are one hell of a shithole.

And here, at least, they have one bed. Their big, double bed, which should really only be for Leonard, but Jim stays over more often than not. He still has his dorm room in the old academy buildings, moved in with Gary Mitchell after Leonard left, but he rarely stays there. He hasn't moved in officially, not yet; maybe he will once they graduate. Maybe they can get a place of their own.

Jim roots around in his collection of crap, but Leonard doesn't watch. He turns to lie on his back, one arm propping up his head as he stares at the ceiling instead. He waits patiently for Jim to return; he's not usually so patient, but it's still early morning, and he's still kind of tired. It's easier to be mellow when he's kind of tired.

"Look what I bought." Jim says, as he shuffles back into bed. Leonard looks over, and sees what can only, frankly, be called a contraption.

Leonard frowns as Jim settles against his side, looking up at it. "What is it?" He asks.

"It's a camera." Jim explains. "A Polaroid camera. Before they had digital photographs they had these."

"Was it cheap?" Leonard asks.

Jim shrugs his shoulders. "Was at first. Film's a bitch to buy."

Leonard rolls his eyes. Jim's still got his Starfleet Killed My Father fund, but Leonard wishes he wouldn't keep dipping into it for shitty things like that camera.

"Watch." Jim grins. He looks so gleeful that of course, Leonard can do nothing but look up at the camera, and wait.

Jim presses a button, which causes a flash that sets the back of Leonard's retinas on fire. When he can finally see something other than bright white glow, Jim is shaking something, a small slip of paper, and when he looks at it, he gives a grin so wide he might split his face in two.

"Let me see." Leonard murmurs, voice still gruff with sleep. He reaches out to grab the photo, earning a screech of "Careful!" from Jim as he takes it from him.

Only the top two thirds of Leonard's head is visible, his nose and his eyes, but he seems distinctly unimpressed. The same can be said of Jim, beside him, but his bright blue eyes show just how happy he is, rather than unimpressed like his still sleepy boyfriend.

"See! Photos. And now we do't have to wait to turn them into holos, we can get them straight away." Jim grins.

Leonard has to admit, the idea is a good one. Now they can have their memories instantly, can have them in the flesh rather than just on his PADD. He turns to set the photo down on his bedside table, and then shifts back to look at Jim, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Shall we take a few more?" He suggests. Jim's answering grin makes his heart skip a beat and his stomach flip; it's a yes, for sure.

They put the photos on the headboard of their bed, pin them there. It's their own little secret. There's one of Jim on their first trip to Leonard's old ranch home in Georgia, freaking out when he falls halfway off his horse, the saddle having slipped round to the side. There's one of Leonard lying in the field, hat over his eyes to keep the sun off and a stalk of grass between his lips, just like he used to when he was a kid, the stereotypical Georgia country boy. There's another one from their trip to the beach, Jim having put a big white stripe of sunblock down his nose, flexing his muscles. There's one of them at Christmas, Leonard sat in front of the tree opening the gift Jim got him. And then there's one of their very first day with the camera; all that's visible is their heads, lips pressed together, eyes closed, Jim's hand just visible as it settles on Leonard's neck. That's his favourite. That's the one he keeps close when they go off up to the stars, the one he looks at whenever his bed is empty, whenever Jim's back in medbay. That's the one he cherishes.


End file.
